Growth in Veterinary Research

In 1947, Dr. Arthur Kelly accepted the position of Zoo veterinarian and Director of Research at the Zoo’s Scripps Hospital and Biological Research Institute. The Zoo had not had a full-time veterinarian since the height of the war in 1943, and Dr. Kelly brought renewed energy to the Zoo’s work in animal medicine and research. The staff began keeping highly detailed records on necropsies and pathology in particular, to more closely identify the causes of disease and death in animal species in zoos and work toward prevention. Dr. Kelly also continued and expanded the program of Scripps Fellowships for Zoo Biology that had been started by Wesley “Captain” Crandall, Zoo board member, through the Ellen Browning Scripps Foundation. Dr. Kelly hired several students for research projects, and the scientific community once again took notice of research taking place at the Zoo facilities.